On September 9, 2007, the National Football League's season began with the Denver Broncos visiting the Buffalo Bills. As Broncos player Domenik Hixon was returning the second half kickoff, Bills tight end Kevin Everett went in for a tackle. When he collided with Domenik, Kevin's body sickeningly fell to the field.

Kevin had suffered a catastrophic spinal injury—one of the worst in recent football history. He couldn't feel his body from the neck down. As team medical officials rushed to his side, Kevin couldn't move and struggled to breathe.